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Coyotes in Malheur

When I tell people I’m going on a “birding trip” that’s only half true because I’m really going on a “Nature trip” and if I happen to see some birds while I’m there, all the better.

I got up at first light Tuesday morning, fixed a light breakfast, and headed out for a day of exploring Malheur. I began the day with a shot of a coyote that ran on first sight, but paused and looked back as soon as it reached cover:

Strangely, I also ended my drive through Malheur with this shot of a young coyote,

walking on the road near the small community of Frenchglen, much too boldly for my taste and probably for its own good. I drove right past it and had the feeling if I’d called it it would have been willing to eat out of my hand. Hunting may be banned on the Wildlife Refuge, but I doubt local farmers would be quite as accommodating.

I felt much better the next day when driving back through the refuge I saw this coyote that appeared to be hunting mice in recently hayed fields,

and across the road a young coyote seemed to be emulating its parent,

though it showed much more curiosity about me than its parent did. I suspect it’s better for everyone if coyotes do what comes naturally and avoid becoming dependent on humans for food.

5 thoughts on “Coyotes in Malheur”

I spotted a coyote not long ago just across the fence from our yard, up the hill in the sliver of “wilderness” that runs behind the fenced-in houses of my suburban enclave in Marin. Just the other day, there was talk of bear droppings in the hills with more open spaces. Last sightings of brown bears happened a long time ago here. We also saw foxes earlier this summer, my first ever fox sightings in this suburb.

I’ve seen coyotes here in Tacoma, and there are foxes nearby in Pt Defiance Park, but I’ve never managed to catch a glimpse of one, though I might be more apt to see one now that I don’t have Skye to walk with me.

I did take a picture of that coyote on our hill. I thought it was a big dog, but when I looked at the picture, there was no question about what it was. I guess with so much human encroachment, these animals are venturing wherever they can, even if it’s closer to us.